Our Favorite Make-Ahead Casseroles for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving Morning

Keep chaos to a minimum by assembling these casseroles ahead of time.

By Robin Shreeves
Published November 12, 2025
Gif of syrup pouring ontop of french toast casserole with berries, on a pink plate, with topping and casserole in the background

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

Thanksgiving morning calls for the brilliance of a casserole you assemble the night before, refrigerate, and bake in the morning. If you're hosting a Thanksgiving feast, it's one less thing you have to prepare on the big day. And if you're not hosting, it means you can relax with a delicious breakfast while watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade from the couch. Below, you'll find our favorite comforting casseroles—including a cheesy sausage number, baked French toast, and strata—perfect for Thanksgiving morning.

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  • Bacon, Cheese, and Kale Strata

    Kale and bacon strata in a baking dish with one portion removed

    Serious Eats / Liz Voltz

    This strata is a hearty, comforting dish that can be prepared well in advance. Any kind of dried bread will work here, but for a wonderfully pillowy strata, use French or Italian bread. Soaking the cubed bread in an egg, milk, and cream mixture for at least 30 minutes ensures it's well hydrated, resulting in a moist, custardy custard when baked. Assemble, cover, and refrigerate it overnight, and all you have to do the morning of is pop it into the oven.

  • Chicken, Leek, and Mushroom Strata

    20140321-287348-chicken-mushrom-strata-edit.jpg

    Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

    A savory mixture of leeks, ground chicken, and mushrooms with cheddar and Parmesan stars in this easy strata. Once assembled, it can sit in the fridge overnight. Plus: The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of white wine—you might as well pour yourself a glass while you're making this!

  • French Onion Strata (Savory Bread Pudding)

    20170221-french-onion-strata-2-emily-matt-clifton.jpg

    Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

    If you love French onion soup, then this savory pudding is for you. Caramelize the onions and dry the bread ahead of time, and all that's left to do is bake and assemble the morning you plan to serve it.

  • Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole

    Gif of syrup pouring ontop of french toast casserole with berries, on a pink plate, with topping and casserole in the background

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    For this tender, custardy breakfast, we recommend using brioche or challah, which are firm but tender enough to absorb the custard without disintegrating. Soak the slices in a seasoned egg and milk mixture, then layer them in a casserole dish and refrigerate overnight. Brush the cooked casserole with melted butter towards the end of baking, then top it with cinnamon sugar and broil until the crust is pleasantly crunchy.

    Continue to 5 of 9 below

  • Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

    Serving of baked casserole square from the side on a plate with a gold fork. Coffee and basket of bigger casserole are in the background.

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    Nothing screams "breakfast" like vegetables, cheese, and sausage, all bound together with eggs. You can bake it up to two days ahead of time and refrigerate it once cooled, so all that's left to do is reheat on Thanksgiving morning. It's a hearty, no-fuss breakfast that will keep you full until it's time for turkey.

  • Egga (Egyptian Baked Egg Dish)

    Dish of baked savory slices flatbread pickles and glasses of tea served on a table

    Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

    Packed with softened onions, fresh herbs, and seasoned with warm spices, egga is Egypt's answer to the weekend brunch casserole. A little flour helps firm up the custard, and reheating it takes just about 15 minutes in the oven.

  • Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding

    Overhead view of bread pudding

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This chocolate bread pudding is technically a dessert, but who says you can't start the day with a sweet treat? Pour a chocolaty egg mixture over cubed bread in a casserole dish, then let the mixture soak for at least 45 minutes or overnight. Tuck some bittersweet chocolate into the bread pudding before baking, and you'll have pockets of molten chocolate throughout.

  • Classic Challah Bread Pudding

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    Serious Eats / Lauren Weisenthal

    This pudding is best served warm and delicious on its own, but it's even better when served with fresh or dried fruit, nuts, and a sauce or syrup. Cubes of challah are tossed in a custard that gets its richness from eight whole yolks, and when baked together, become a wonderfully tender pudding.

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  • Bread Pudding

    Soft pink bowl with bread pudding a la mode, on a soft pink textile, with a white bowl of bread pudding and full red tray of bread pudding on the sides.

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Eggy, enriched breads like brioche or challah absorb the custard perfectly, ensuring a rich, moist texture unlike drier varieties. You can assemble the pudding up to two days before Thanksgiving, then bake it an hour or two before you want to serve it. Top with whipped cream, berries, and/or syrup.

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